How Do You Work Out Which EdTech Solutions Are Worth The Investment?

The EdTech sector is booming – but how can educators evaluate where to invest their valuable resources?

The world of education has changed almost beyond recognition over the past half a century. As technology has developed, so too has the way that we teach, and the tools that we use to do it. Gone are the days of relying solely on big, bulky textbooks – they’re now supplemented and supported with interactive technology, laptops, smartboards and tablets.

So it’s no surprise that the industry of EdTech (a portmanteau of education and technology) is booming. But with limited resources to invest in tech, how can educators and schools evaluate the best use of their funds?

Enter: Kokoa Standard

Developed in Helsinki, Finland, the company Kokoa provides an unbiased, science-based quality standard for learning solutions. The standard was established to assist EdTech companies in developing products that align with learning principles and curriculums.

Companies bearing the Kokoa Standard certification are evidence of their product’s efficacy, to an independent and scientific standard, and operate as a quality-mark on EdTech products.

And the team at Kokoa are qualified to test EdTech, not least of all because of the fact that Finland is consistently one of the highest achieving school systems in the world. All four founders of Kokoa have worked in education, with two of them being former teachers.

“We know how difficult it is to find the products that effectively support learning,” explained Marika Kukkasniemi, founder and CEO of Kokoa. “What we have developed is a methodology for evaluating the pedagogical quality of digital learning products”.

And the bar to achieve the coveted Kokoa Standard certification is a high one – only roughly 50% of submitted EdTech products end up passing the rigorous testing. This is working to Kokoa’s advantage, as their stamp of approval on EdTech products is increasingly seen as a mark of quality, and the international standard.

So next time you feel overwhelmed by where to invest your precious resources in the world of EdTech, look for a product which has been rigorously tested by Kokoa – because if it’s certified by them, that’s an investment in the future of your students.

The future of technology in teaching has already arrived! Check out a selection of our interactive teaching resources developed for the modern classroom: